venice architecture biennale: marte.marte presents a search of the unexpected

venice architecture biennale: marte.marte presents a search of the unexpected
image © marte.marte

showcased inside the ‘reporting from the front’ international exhibition at the 2016 venice architecture biennale, austrian firm marte.marte has intertwined architecture and art to present an exhibition that celebrates material, sculpture, and form manifested from its own projects. framed by the arsenale’s historical brick walls, five concrete-cast blocks have been placed next to five screens playing cinematic films directed by andreas waldschütz. each monolithic block has been uniquely hand-carved to produce facets and recognizable features of marte.marte’s projects including ‘schanerloch bridge‘ and ‘mountain cabin‘. the exhibition demonstrates the studio’s challenges and ‘fight’ for each one: ‘theme explores the continuous pursuit of the one true answer to a question. at the same time, they also witness the constant threat of failure, as well as the bliss of successful moments.’

each video responds to one of the concrete cast sculptures
image © marte.marte

‘we have to take into account the fact new needs have arisen and that infrastructure has a role to play in the local identity of the cityscape and the landscape’, explains marte.marte. ‘the essential often shows up unexpectedly. like a sculptor, each layer of hard rock must be stripped away. the persistent struggle with the present reveals the truth hidden within. sometimes, it lies just under the surface; more often, it is buried under numerous, superimposed layers.’

each cast concrete block was carved by sculptor gregor weder
image © marte.marte

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a range of different projects have been presented
image © marte.marte

the installation combines architecture and art
image © designboom

detail of one of the cast concrete blocks
image © marte.marte

architects bernhard and stefan marte at their exhibition inside the arsenale

five concrete-cast blocks are placed next to five screens playing cinematic films directed by andreas waldschütz
image © designboom
general view of marte.marte’s installation at the venice architecture biennale 2016
image © designboom
detail of the architectural carvings
image © designboom
view of the films and their corresponding sculpture
image © designboom
the exhibition is titled ‘in search of the unexpected’
image © designboom